The FCC said it wanted to assess the coverage of eight "critical information" subjects, including public health, politics, transportation, the environment and "economic opportunities."

As the survey was originally designed, government researchers would have asked reporters, anchors and news managers at as many as 280 news organizations to describe their outlet's "news philosophy" and about how they select stories.

Media watchdogs are important, and there are dozens of organizations representing interests across the political spectrum posting critiques online every day.

That is needed and welcome. But it's not the government's job to decide how well the media functions.

Anything along those lines by the government would have a chilling effect that undermines the First Amendment.

This proposal was never likely to get very far, but shame on the FCC for ever floating it.